Justice For Rehtaeh Parsons: Anonymous Vows To Out Teen’s Rapists

Hacktivist group Anonymous announced yesterday they know the identities of two rapists who sexually assaulted Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old Nova Scotia girl who died on Sunday, and plan to release their names unless the Canadian government brings her family justice. In 2011, Parsons was raped by four boys at a party and a photograph taken of the rape was then distributed around school; she was bullied and harassed by other students so badly that her family moved. Police did not press charges because they claimed to lack evidence. After struggling with suicidal thoughts, last week, Rehtaeh tried to kill herself and was badly injured; this weekend, her family removed her from life support. Her mother, Leah Parsons, penned a Facebook message on Monday, detailing the ways her daughter’s rapists were never brought to justice — particularly how the police allegedly waited 10 months to interview the alleged rapists.

Now Anonymous, which was involved in bringing the Steubenville rapists to justice, is getting involved.

Anonymous released a statement on Wednesday night about #OpJustice4Rehtaeh, targeting Nova Scotia Justice Minister Ross Landry, which in part reads:

Anonymous has confirmed the identities of two of the four alleged rapists. We are currently confirming a third and it is only a matter of time before the fourth is identified as well.

Our demands are simple: We want the N.S. RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] to take immediate legal action against the individuals in question. We encourage you to act fast. If we were able to locate these boys within 2 hours, it will not be long before someone else finds them.

We do not approve of vigilante justice as the media claims. That would mean we approve of violent actions against these rapists at the hands of an unruly mob. What we want is justice. And That’s your job. So do it.

The names of the rapists will be kept until it is apparent you have no intention of providing justice to Retaeh’s family.

Rehtaeh’s father, Glen Canning, has also penned a heartbreaking blog post on his web site about the Justice Department’s lack of response, particularly considering a photograph of the rape was distributed around:

How is it possible for someone to leave a digital trail like that, yet the RCMP don’t have evidence of a crime? What were they looking for if photos and bragging weren’t enough? … Isn’t the production and distribution of child porn a crime in this country? … My daughter wasn’t bullied to death, she was disappointed to death. Disappointed in people she thought she could trust, her school and the police. … For the love of God, do something.

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